Tree Fruit and Small Fruit Jon Traunfeldjont@umd.edu

Text of Tree Fruit and Small Fruit Jon Traunfeldjont@umd.edu

Tree Fruit and Small Fruit

Jon Traunfeldjont@umd.edu

College ofAgriculture and Natural Resources

Reasons to grow fruitFlavor and quality, high store price, versatility, health benefitsIts a challenge lots to learn (part science, art, and mystery)long lived plants that require timely care and attention each seasonBut please start small; start with small fruitTake less space, more forgiving, can be grown organically, less expensive to maintain and easier to dig up

How do fruit plants compare to tomato plants?Perennials that require 12-month attentionRequire hardening (chilling hours) to survive winter and produce fruitMaximum yields come with the correct balance of root, leaf, and fruit growthImportant to know when and where they produce flower buds and fruitCorrect pruning is essential to control growth and encourage fruiting

Plan aheadDo I have enough room? Enough time? Whats practical for me?Start planning one year before plantingSelect a full-sun, well-drained site Amend soil to achieve correct pH and high organic matter contentWork with your macro- and micro-climates

Picking cultivarsSelect well-adapted, recommended cultivars with good disease resistance. Buy high quality plants- certified, registeredBareroot plants will catch up to container plants Do I need a special rootstock? Do I need more than one cultivar for pollination?

Hydrating an apple whip in a bucket of water for 12 hours prior to planting3-year old bare-root apple whip has just arrived from the nursery. Notice graft union where the scion is joined to the rootstock.

Water and fertilizerRegular watering throughout the year is essentialShallow-root small fruit plants are especially vulnerable to drought stressFertilize with 1 inch of compost each springUse fertilizers according to recommendationsBe careful not to over-fertilize

Weeds and mulchAvoid herbicidesKeep mulch away from trunks and crownsOrganic mulch, pea gravelGrass or other living covers cancompete with fruit plants for water and nutrients

Wildlife issues Deer scat Vole feeding

Pruning Control size and shapeInvigorate- stimulate new fruiting woodImprove air circulation and increase sunlight interception

StrawberryTwo main types for Maryland gardeners: the June-bearing type (predominate) and day-neutral type.Aggregate fruits have many stamens and pistils.King berry is largest in a cluster and has the most seeds.

Drip irrigation line suspended from support wire to prevent vole feeding on plastic tubing.Floricane laterals are tipped at 18 inches to increase fruiting.

Prime-Jim thorny erect blackberry that bears on first-year canes in late summer through frost.

RaspberryPerennial crown; biennial canesLess heat-tolerant than blackberry, but ok for all parts of MD Types:Red, purple, black; June bearingRed, yellow; primo-cane or fall-bearing. These can be cut 6-8 inches above ground-level in late winter or early spring.

Black raspberry- new shoots (primocanes) are thinned to 6 inches apart.Red raspberry plant tied to a single wire between posts.

Cedar apple rust- a common fungal disease that is difficult to control. Requires Eastern red cedar as the alternate host. Fireblight- a bacterial disease that can move through the vascular system of apple and pear, killing branches and trees.

Surround is a pulverized kaolin clay product that suppresses and repels some fruit insect pests such as codling moth, plum curculio, and apple maggot.

PeachPeach is best pruned to an open vase shape to maximize captured sunlight and fruit production.Peach fruits need to be hand-thinned to increase fruit size and decrease disease problems.

This program was brought to you by the Maryland Master Gardener ProgramFrederick CountyUniversity of Maryland Extension

You can edit your own title, sub title, author and email.**Can I make the necessary commitment to tree fruit? *Depends on what part of MD. Even with global warming it can be tough to grow peaches or nectari